Yoga Retreats and Meditation : Best Way to Relax your Body and Mind
To paraphrase the venerable Yogiraj Alan Finger, “If being flexible was yoga, all of the Cirque du Soleil performers would be enlightened.” That is to say that asana, Sanskrit for static physical position or “pose”, is only one of the eight limbs of yoga.
The poses we do in yoga are only a warm up of the body in preparation for meditation. In order to be able to sit still, one must first work some of the nervous energy out of the body and stretch the muscles so there is no discomfort in the joints. Once your body is relatively at peace, you can work towards bringing your mind to a peaceful state. Yoga Retreats .
Meditation is an excellent tool for increasing focus, relieving insomnia, dealing with asthma, managing stress, and most importantly bringing stillness to the mind. Only through this journey for absolute stillness of the mind can we connect fully with our true self. Peer pressure, parental conditioning, media influence, and conflicting inner egos can often leave us feeling confused or out of tune with who we really are.
A Spa retreat is a unique opportunity to go through guided meditations in a setting that is conducive to maintaining that meditative state after the session is over. Spiritual retreats held in nature make it easier to connect with our elemental roots and can help us remain grounded. They offer us an opportunity to better understand how we are relating to ourselves and in turn, to the rest of the world.
Yoga is about being present in the now. Intensive meditation and spa retreats can help you hone your ability to be in the moment. A few days in a row of guided meditation by a respected yoga teacher can be the perfect kick-start for an at-home meditation practice. The repetition and alternative breathing techniques you will learn will arm you with the map you need to embark on your journey.
Roque L. Rodriguez III is a poet and yoga instructor in New York, NY. He is currently taking the 300 hour yoga teacher training course at ISHTA Yoga NYC and looks forward to going on a yoga retreat in the future.
